


Up there, where the Air Is Rarefied

by evening_spirit



Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 02:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17840480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evening_spirit/pseuds/evening_spirit
Summary: Clarice meets John. They fall in love. The end.(this summary will probably change) (that is, if it's not a one-shot) (ETA: it is a one-shot)





	Up there, where the Air Is Rarefied

**Author's Note:**

> Don't let the fluffiness and silliness deceive you. They may look cute, but both of them are made of issues.  
> Not that it shows at first sight.
> 
> Oh, and I apologize for making Zingo OOC.

 

 

* * *

 

The thing with Zingo is that she acts like she didn't get the memo. She's not a pup anymore. At eight months old, she's as massive as some of her perhaps-labrador ancestors, and still as enthusiastic as her maybe-husky progenitors. Taken from the shelter at a young age, before she could learn to fear people, she now welcomes every single person she and Clarice pass on a walk with open, ecstatic, tag-waving and face-licking genuine dog-love.

Sometimes Clarice thinks Zingo is simply stupid.

At all times she keeps her on her leash.

Except this morning. It's early winter day, still before sunrise, the park lanes are empty, because who goes out at sub-zero temperatures if they don't have to. The dog needs to run, otherwise she's going to make a mess of Clarice's apartment during the day. In a better weather Clarice would take her for a run around the lake, but today is a no-go. She double checks her surroundings before unfastening the furry ball of energy and then watches as Zingo ziggs and zaggs in puffs of hot breath, across the snowed expanses, or between the scarce trees and shrubs.

Visibility from where Clarice walks, at an unhurried pace, isn't bad, so when a man appears out of nowhere, she's somewhat startled. He must have approached from the side of the golf club, where the lane is partially obscured by a clump of denser shrub. He's still about fifty yards from Clarice and Zingo is on her other side, so the chance that the situation will not become embarrassing, is solid.

"Zingo!" she calls. "Come!"

It's a mistake. Zingo lifts her head, looks at Clarice, notices movement behind her, raises her ears, wags her tail, jumps in place once, and then she's in an ecstatic gallop in an instant.

"Zingo! To me!" Clarice tries in vain. "Stop!" she screams, breaking into run on an intercept course, but she knows she'll miss. Finally she resorts to "Watch out!" toward the incoming man.

He seems like a solid guy, one Zingo wouldn't do any harm, really. But you never know who's afraid of dogs or who simply doesn't like them, or who definitely is not prepared for sixty pounds of muscles, fur and a licking tongue to ram into them from the murk at six a.m. Clarice only hopes the guy won't kick Zingo, even though the stupid dog probably deserves it. It might get her to finally learn to not jump at people.

"She doesn't bite, she just wants to play!" Clarice desperately tries to save the modicum of her and her dog's dignity, knowing she'll only get to the guy and Zingo after the disaster will have already happened.

The man looks up when Zingo is maybe ten feet from him, like he hasn't heard Clarice's warnings at all. Maybe he's got earphones in. Great. All he has time to do is to extend his hands in front of him and spread his legs to brace for impact.

He loses his equilibrium anyway, when Zingo bumps into his chest with her front paws. Clarice hides her face in her fluffy gloves. Not that it would help and make her disappear entirely, no. She still has to go over there and drag Zingo away from the guy and apologize like she's a responsible adult. She pulls the bobble on her head lower making her hair cover half of her probably red-as-tomato face and marches toward Zingo, who's still licking the guy's face, as if all is right with the world.

To Clarice's utter surprise she hears the guy laugh.

So maybe this is not going to end up in her getting arrested?

"Hey, I'm really so sorry," she says, grabbing Zingo's collar and pulling against the dog's enthusiasm. "Come here, you stupid idiot! She's not always like that. I mean she is always like that, she's just stupid, I know about it and I shouldn't let her off the leash. Which I never do, by the way, I know what she's like. Except today I did, obviously, which is why she attacked you. Not that she attacked really, she just wanted to play, she's not dangerous, she's stupid. Still, it doesn't make it any less wrong on my part and I don't even know how to apologize to you." With Zingo firmly secured on a short leash now, forcefully seated, still wagging her tail and smiling – panting – with her tongue hanging three inches below her chin, Clarice finally turns to look at the guy. Dreadfully ashamed.

He's pulled himself to a seated position and paused there, one leg bent, one elbow resting on the knee, supporting himself with the other hand. He glares at her like she's making the most magnificent idiot of herself, dark eyes open wide, a hint of a smile dancing on his lips. He has pretty lips, a thought appears in Clarice's head out of nowhere. And warm eyes. Also, those dark locks spilling out from under his beanie are kind of cute. And he's tall and, even despite heavy coat, she can tell he's pleasantly built.

"I'm alright, you know," he says in a low, somewhat growly voice, then pulls himself up, falters and Clarice instinctively reaches out to help him catch his ballance. Too bad both their hands are clad in thick mittens. "I'm fine," he breathes out. "She didn't harm anything other than my pride." Wiping snow from his ass and back he laughs again and it's a pleasant sound, just like his voice.

Clarice swallows a strange lump in her throat.

"Still, I should apologize," she says.

"If you insist."

"Profusely."

"Hm." His eyes wander down and then up her winter coat. He meets her eyes again. "How about over coffee?" he offers and Clarice takes a moment to process the request. What kind of answer can she possibly give?

"Sure," she blurts a microsecond later. "Coffee sounds just about right." Then she internally runs through her plans for the day. Go back home to leave Zingo, hurry up to meet with Evangeline, probably go see that new place with her, then she's planned to work on the commission for Caitlin until the evening, but she can always postpone it till late at night. "Are you free in the afternoon?" she asks and he nods. "About sixteen hundred hours? There's that place, Coffee Issue at Courthouse Lane, you know it?"

"Courthouse Lane? Coffee Issue?" he repeats. "Yeah, I know it. Sixteen hundred?" confirms. "See you then." He smiles, this time a full, broad smile that shows his teeth and crinkles the corners of his eyes and alright, he is beautiful.

"See you!" Clarice smiles too, and only as he starts walking away she remembers. "Hey! I don't even know your name!"

But he doesn't turn around.

* * *

 

.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.


End file.
